Cardiac tamponade

Question 1

Symptoms of cardiac tamponade

Answer 1

• Dyspnoea
• Chest pain - due to pericarditis

Question 2

Signs of cardiac tamponade

Answer 2

• Beck’s triad:
  
  • Hypotension
  • Elevated JVP
  • Decreased heart sounds
• Tachypnoea
• Tachycardia
• Pulsus paradoxus

Question 3

Investigations for cardiac tamponade

Answer 3

• ECG - low-voltage QRS, electrical alternans, PR depression
• Bloods:
  
  • FBE - elevated WCC - due to pericarditis
  • UEC - uraemic cause
  • Cardiac markers - MI
• CXR - enlarged, globular cardiac silhouette
• TTE

Question 4

Management of cardiac tamponade

Answer 4

• Pericardiocentesis